Self-feeder for th reshing-machines



(No Model.) 2 SheetS Sheet 1, G. D. STOWE. SELF FEEDER FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

Patented June 28, 1898.

FIG 4- amyaj. fijoz u, $7 66 Z W ger-Earn abbot/mm g SheetsSheet 2.

- (No Model.)

- vG D STOWE SELF FEEDER FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

Patented June 28,1898.

@Hlowu 1 UNITED, STATES.

PATENT ()FFICE.

GE ORGE D, STOWE; VVHITEVVATER, WISCONSIN- SELF-FEEDER FOR TH RESH ING-MACHINES.

SIEIFX'JIFIChkTION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,597, dated June 28, 1898.

Application filed April 20, 1897. Serial No. 632,933. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern. T

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. VSTOWE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing atWhitewater, in the county'of Walworth and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Feeders for Threshing-Machines; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,'such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in band-cutters and feeders ,for threshing-machines, and more particularly tothe construction and arrangement of the band cutters and manner of feeding the bundles or sheaves. thereto. f

The invention contemplates a particular construction of the bandcutting knives, which act to first sever the bands and then to loosen the bundles before delivering them to the belt that conveys the straw or grain to the feeding-fingers.

With the above ends in view the invention consists in the particular construction and combination of the parts which constitute my 4 invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andto numerals thereon, which designate thedifferent parts, and what I consider to be the novel features of con struction are specifically recited in the claims.

In the drawings which 'form a part of this.

specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a band-cutter and feeder constructed in accordance with my invention". Fig. 2 is a similar view with the casing removed so asto'show the endless apron and band-cutting knives.

Fig. 3 is an end View of the apparatus. 7 Fig.

ceiving belts 2 2 is the main feeding-belt 3,-

which carries the strawor grain directly to the feeding-fingers or regulator 4, said regulator being journaled in supports carriedrby the threshing-machine and driven from a pulsprocket-wheels on the shafts. tion with this arrangement of belts for feed- The? shafts of the rollers at the inner ends of theaprons or belts 2 2 are extended and are geared directly to the shaft 5 of the. regulator or feedingdevice by means of the bevelwheels 6 'and7, the main feeding-belt being driven fromthe shaft 5 of the regulator by a sprocket-chain 8, which passes over the ing the bundles to themachine I have provided. a series of rotary band-cutting knives 9, the blades of which are curved and of a pebelts, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

For the purpose of supporting the shafts 10,

. ley on cylinder of thesaid threshing-machine.

In connecon which the cutting-knives are located,orossbars 11 11 extend from the opposite side pieces of the part of the frame which carries the receiving-belts and are provided with boxes or bearings in which said shafts are journaled. Theshafts 10 are driven from one of the innerrollers of the receiving-belts through the intervention of a shaft 12, having bevel-wheels 13 thereon which mesh with corresponding bevel-wheels 13 on the said shafts, the shaft '12 being connected to the roller by means of a sprocket-chain 14.

In order to confine the dust which rises from' the sheaves when the band is cut and the grain is separated by the knives and belts, I provide a casing 14, which is supported upon the frame and incloses the inner ends of the receiving-belts, the cutting-knives, and

that portion of the main belt which extends across the main frame proper. This casing is of somewhat peculiar construction, being provided with a central dome 1i", rising from the casing at its center'to accommodate the knives and to permit the grain to move freely, notwithstanding its expansion and consequent bulky form when the band has been cut and the grain is shaken and separated by the action of the knives. that the band-cutting knives are actuated by means of certain' mechanism geared" through the sprocket-chain 14 to the inner shaft of one It has been stated of the receiving-belts, and in order to permit of this mechanism being located above the bed of the machine and, further, to facilitate its entire removal when the casing or cover is lifted from the frame I form the dome with two oppositely-inchned walls li which form in effect a trough in the top of the dome. I then form slots 11- in the walls of the trough to permit the shafts 10, which are disposed horizontally, to pass through the trough at a slight distance above its bottom. The gearwheels 13, mounted on the shafts 10, as described, are in this manner located above the dome and are permitted to mesh with the corresponding gear-wheels carried by the shafts 12, which are journaled within the trough at its bottom.

The blades of the band-cutting knives consist of metal plates the edges of which are sharpened, and the said plates are deflected with respect to the axis or hub in order that they will not only cut the bands of the bundles, but will also scatter the straw to a cermin extent before they are passed to the main feeding-belt. From the main feeding-belt the'grain is delivered to the regulator or feeding-lingers, which properly deliver the grain to the machine.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying d rawings,the construction and operation of myimproved bandcutter for threshing-machines will be readily understood, for the bundles are deposited on the endless aprons or carriers 2 2 and are delivered therefrom onto the main feeding-belt 3, which is arranged at right angles with the belt 2, but before passing to the feeding-belt the bundles are acted upon by the rotatingknives, which sever the bands and act to spread the straw onto the said feeding-belt. From the feeding-belt the straw is passed to the feeding-fingers or regulator, which consists of a series of curved teeth arranged spirally on the shaft 5, in order to properly feed the grain or straw to the machine.

A feeding and band-cutting device eonstructed in accordance with my invention possesses numerous advantages over such devices as have come under my notice, and in practice theknives, in connection with the arrangement of belts, prevent the grain going to the machine en mossz, and will also prevent clogging or plugging, as well as prevent the bundles going in crosswise. The particular construction and arrangement of the parts provide for readily reaching them, so that they can be easily cleaned, the device also possessing the additional advantage of being light in construction and cheaply mannfactured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a band-cutting and feeding device for threshing-machines, the combination with aframe, receiving-belts and a feeding-belt interposed between the receivingbelts and moving at right angles thereto,of knife-shafts above the belts, knives upon said shafts, a dome rising from the casing and provided with a trough at its center, the walls of said trough being provided with slots to permit the knife-shafts to extend through the trough, and mechanism carried within the trough for actuating said shafts, substantially as specified.

2. In a band-cutter and feeder, the combination with a frame, receiving-belts and a feeding-belt intermediate of the receivingbelts and moving at right angles thereto, of a pair of knife-shafts disposed above the belts and provided with rotary knives, a casing inclosing the knives and the inner ends of the belts and provided with a dome having a trough at its center extending below the knifeshafts, shafts journaled at the bottom of the trough and geared to said knife-shafts, and gearing intermediate of the shafts journaled in the trough and one of the shafts of a receiving-belt, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE D. STO \VE.

\Yitnesses:

HENRY S. ROYCE, W. D. S'rown. 

